bit of a change.

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bigbob · #1 Post by **bigbob** » Tue Dec 15, 2015 12:06 pm

Tried my hand at a bow that didn't have any glass in it , and turned up this self bow of black wattle.Pyramid design, and seeing as there was an issue with some grain run out, backed the bow with denim.Tillered to 29'' and is 66" ntn and 50# @ 28'' which was right on the desired weight. Seems quite fast for a selfie, quiet and smooth. Only has a working string and I will lower brace height slightly with the new string.In the first shot , the bow is slightly canted making the string look like it doesn't track completely down the middle which it does. Riser has piece of bamboo lamination to build up the depth and also add a little bit of contrast.

Muz1970 · #2 Post by **Muz1970** » Tue Dec 15, 2015 3:08 pm

Nice.. Looks good

Gringa Bows · #3 Post by **Gringa Bows** » Tue Dec 15, 2015 3:09 pm

Good one

Nezwin · #4 Post by **Nezwin** » Tue Dec 15, 2015 4:02 pm

I love how simple & clean it looks.

Very nice!

greybeard · #5 Post by **greybeard** » Wed Dec 16, 2015 8:03 am

Bob,

The bow appears to have turned out very well. Have you noticed that making wooden bows is a nice change from the laminated glass ones?

I have found that making a few wooden bows from time to time re enforces ones tillering skills.

Nezwin wrote:I love how simple & clean it looks. Very nice!

To me simplicity of design is always appealing.

Daryl.

bigbob · #6 Post by **bigbob** » Wed Dec 16, 2015 4:26 pm

thanks for your comments, rod, Nez and Daryl!. Upshot is as can happen bow is mortally injured. In spite of an intensive tillering with my mechanical pulley set up, which allows the bow to be drawn and eased off immediately during the tillering so there is no undue pause on the draw, the small rogue piece of run out grain made its presence felt when i was drawing the bow for the full draw shot. lifted a fairly large splinter under the backing. I was sceptical about this area right from the get go. I have bound the spot with sinew and titebond so will wait a couple days and see whether it holds up. If not no matter as i thoroughly enjoyed making this bow[ to partly answer your question Daryl] so much so, I am scrounging through my wood pile looking for a more suitable piece grain wise.The beauty of this design is virtually no tillering , relating to limb position was required. It only has the taper across the width and depth remains constant from tip to fades.Can't wait to begin another.Forgive the awkward looking pose. This was just before it lifted the splinter.

indie · #7 Post by **indie** » Wed Dec 16, 2015 4:44 pm

Very nice looking bow, shame about the splinter. Was also wondering if you mixed any lace with that denim?

Q re' pyramids. What's the magic width at the fades to ensure even thickness all the way to the tips? I've seen 2 1/2 inches mentioned elsewhere down to 1/2 inch at the tips. Handle length would affect this ratio I guess as well.

bigbob · #8 Post by **bigbob** » Wed Dec 16, 2015 5:38 pm

thanks Indie. Maybe it might be salvagable, will know in couple days.Re the width versus depth ratio., this bow is close to 2 3/4'' wide down to 1/2''at the tips and is 68 NTN. It is also about 15/32'' 'deep' in a parallel manner all the way along limb near fades to tips. this will give roughly a 50# bow depending on characteristics of wood chosen.The wider the bow [relatively] the more 'safety' margin you build in, which is why I kinda hoped I might get by the grain runout.Still greatly enjoyed building it anyway so no loss.

bstan86 · #9 Post by **bstan86** » Thu Dec 17, 2015 7:11 am

Great looking bow mate - for my taste that flatbow style is most aesthetically pleasing of all the self bows.

Here's hoping she is saved after the surgery.

bigbob · #10 Post by **bigbob** » Thu Dec 17, 2015 8:25 am

thanks chief! Probably try stringing it again tomorrow and hope the sinew holds. I really like the layout if these bows too, as Nezwin said just simple but clean and pleasing on the eye. One correction too the bow is actually 66'' NTN not 68'' as i mentioned earlier

cmoore · #11 Post by **cmoore** » Thu Dec 17, 2015 11:46 am

Ace lookin bow bigbob!, the denim has a nice contrast with the timber. Bummer about the splinter

... makes me wonder if a fabric backing has any real benefit, perhaps it's biggest benefit is it prevents you from punching yourself in the face if the bow fails but doesn't actually prevent the failure from occuring in the first place?

bigbob · #12 Post by **bigbob** » Thu Dec 17, 2015 3:24 pm

thanks col. Re the backing i am sure it has a lot of value strength wise, but some times the guy making the bow asks too much of the wood. Pretty much the case here as it had some bad run out mid limb and a colour change which might indicate a bit of sap wood perhaps.I was just crossing my fingers that it might hold up but as life is a great leveller when one gets a bit uppitity so was it in this case! I just had 8 shots out of it since I bound the errant limb and was just beginning to think I might have saved it against the odds when --wham!!! top limb just broke clean in half without slightest warning apart from tiny click just before.Any way I am looking forward to doing another one------when--- and only when I get the right piece of timber!.

bigbob · #13 Post by **bigbob** » Fri Dec 18, 2015 4:55 pm

Just started Mark 2! Hopefully a better bit of wood, slight runout but think it will be ok.

greybeard · #14 Post by **greybeard** » Sat Dec 19, 2015 10:16 am

Bob,

It is indeed unfortunate that the bow did not go the distance.

Have you considered making a bi laminate bow with the less than ideal timber? As the back and belly are parallel in this design tillering should not be an issue.

End for end one of the laminations and flip it edge to edge, this should reduce the risk of timber failure.

Daryl.

bigbob · #15 Post by **bigbob** » Sat Dec 19, 2015 5:47 pm

that could be a possibility Daryl. I will have a close scrutiny of the grain on this other piece and decide how to approach it.

rodlonq · #16 Post by **rodlonq** » Thu Dec 24, 2015 2:49 pm

I like it, hope your fix goes well Bob.

RobHunter · #17 Post by **RobHunter** » Thu Dec 24, 2015 3:21 pm

Very Nice Bob

I'm almost finished a red oak pyramid bow.
Been a bit slow, due the health stuff and list of things to do (b4 my interests lol)
provided by the missus

Rob

bigbob · #18 Post by **bigbob** » Thu Dec 24, 2015 5:18 pm

hey Rod and Rob!as i mentioned in earlier post this bow didn't go the distance, firstly lifting a splinter at a grain runout and 'though i bound the area in sinew, it snapped. not to worry as mark 2 is in progress, along with other bows. The grain on this one seems a little straighter so I'm hopeful in a few days might have a working bow.

Gringa Bows · #19 Post by **Gringa Bows** » Thu Dec 24, 2015 9:35 pm

Looking forward to it Bob

RobHunter · #20 Post by **RobHunter** » Mon Dec 28, 2015 9:40 am

Yup it failed Bob,

But it was still a nice looking bow, your work is always great. Selfbows do have a habit of failing now and then lol.
Even with a perfect looking stave.

Rob

bigbob · #21 Post by **bigbob** » Mon Dec 28, 2015 1:12 pm

thanks for those thoughts Rob.I do have mark 2 under way but it's a non priority type meaning it might take a while to complete while i endeavour to get a few orders done.

danceswithdingoes · #22 Post by **danceswithdingoes** » Mon Dec 28, 2015 3:06 pm

with Darryl, the wattle has great compression qualities perhaps a bamboo back.

bigbob · #23 Post by **bigbob** » Mon Dec 28, 2015 5:13 pm

danceswithdingoes wrote:with Darryl, the wattle has great compression qualities perhaps a bamboo floorboard back.

unfortunately fabricated bamboo flooring while a premier lamination, is of no use as backing as all the fibres are compromised during the manufacture. Some Wattle [there are numerous] can be a good self bow wood but it still requires the same parameters as any bow wood regarding grain. For this style of bow straight grain is a prerequisite, and hopefully this new one will get me by. However I will still back it with denim when i get back to it.as extra precautions.

greybeard · #24 Post by **greybeard** » Mon Dec 28, 2015 6:49 pm

danceswithdingoes wrote:with Darryl, the wattle has great compression qualities perhaps a bamboo floorboard back.

Ding,

Nowhere in my reply to this post did I mention wattle or bamboo flooring. Pole bamboo is a different kettle of fish.

Daryl.

danceswithdingoes · #25 Post by **danceswithdingoes** » Mon Dec 28, 2015 8:25 pm

Darryl, I know you didnt mention them but you did suggest a laminate back to prevent splintering, that's what I was agreeing with. Sorry Bob wasn't aware that Bamboo flooring wasn't suitable (getting older not necessarily wiser) I have seen some nice wattle selfbows but always include a heartwood belly and a sapwood back. I have a few Ron White / Alan Camp selfbows made from Leopardwood that shoot quite nice

Ozbow

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